The promise of divine deliverance from trial is a fundamental building block in the Christian faith and aligns with the sixth petition of the Lord’s Prayer, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one
(Matthew 6:13). 1 In the context of 2 Peter 1:1 – 3:18 trials could be those that the church experiences at the hand of the heretics or eschatological trials (see Revelation 3:10), the afflictions that the righteous suffer in an evil world (Luke 8:13; Acts 20:19; 1 Peter 1:6).2 Present testing is thus part of the final trial that the church will endure (1 Peter 4:12).3 It comes for all those who are committed to Christ.4 Trials, however, are not permanent. The time will come when the Lord delivers the righteous and judges the wicked.5 God will guard believers so that they do not forsake him in times of trial (1 Corinthians 10:13). They will be kept from apostasy (Luke 8:13; Luke 22:28) just like Noah and Lot were kept.6
9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment,